1.

Rejjie Snow – Dear Annie

Dublin-born rapper Rejjie Snow has finally staked his claim on the international hip-hop landscape with the release of his long-awaited debut album Dear Annie. The album is released under the watchful eye of 300 Entertainment, home to artists such as Migos and Young Thug. Rejjie first appeared on the scene as Lecs Luther, channeling MF Doon and Tyler, The Creator and while he hasn’t left the influences of those artists entirely behind, he has penned a A stylish and polychromatically produced debut record where the vocalists like Portland’s Aminé, London’s Ebenezer and Jesse James Solomon, Norway’s Anna of the North and American singers Dana Williams, Caroline Smith and Jesse Boykins III shine on the hooks.

Rejjie’s choice of intermissions negate the album’s romantic sincerity but there’s much to enjoy here in the vein of a soft glow rooftop down R&B-tinged rap tip. Snow hasn’t quite escaped the shadows of his forebearers but at 24 years-old, he’s finally on a path to showing his own colours. Hear more from us on the album on this week’s podcast.

2.

Wyvern Lingo – Wyvern Lingo

Wyvern Lingo’s self-titled debut album arrives on Rubyworks with much fanfare based on hard work, a regular gigging schedule and crucially, great preview songs. If lead single ‘I Love You Sadie’ is a starting point, then the group spend the rest of the album fleshing out and expanding upon that polished R’n’B sound with harmonius intent and a keen eye to real-world events. Without a doubt, the most exciting Irish prospect at the moment. Listen to them interviewed about the entitlement of Irish male artists of the past in our recent podcast.

3.

Everything Is Recorded – Everything Is Recorded

The modern-day supergroup is a rarity, however, head of XL Records Richard Russell has assembled an impressive team to create this eclectic album. Featuring a plethora of artists ranging from Kamasi Washington to Sampha to Ibeyi to Giggs, with all musical ground in-between covered, the final product is the wonderful and sometimes bizarre Everything Is Recorded. . Don’t go into this album expecting loyalty to any singular genre, Russell instead seems to be concerned only with bringing out the best from the artists on each individual track. When it works, it shines but it sometimes feels a little lightweight.

4.

Car Seat Headrest – Twin Fantasy

Most artists focus solely on moving forward, writing and releasing an album to move on to the next project. Car Seat Headrest’s Will Toledo makes the interesting choice to revisit and re-imagine an old project with this remake of 2011’s Twin Fantasy. The addition of a bigger budget allows some of the lo-fi elements of the original release to be tweaked and upgraded. A worthwhile listen for those interested in seeing how far the group have come over the past seven years.

5.

Imarhan – Temet

Temet marks Algerian desert rock sextet Imarhan’s second studio album. The band’s name, translating roughly into “the ones I care about”, is reflective of the passionate music the group create. Employing a hybrid sound of Western surf-rock guitars with pan-African rhythms and vocal deliveries, this release finds the group sounding more polished than their debut album.

6.

Poliça and Stargaze – Music For The Long Emergency

Setting out to soundtrack the end of the world, this collaborative project between American synth-pop group Polica and Berlin-based orchestral ensemble Stargaze results in a stunning collection of novel music. Released under the supervision of London label Transgressive Records, this short album is packed full of haunting melodies and evolving textures. Landing somewhere between industrial and modernist, the apocalypse has rarely sounded better than on this album.

On the latest episode of the Nialler9 Podcast, Niall and Ellen talk Irish rapper Rejjie Snow’s long-awaited Dear Annie album, tracks from Janelle Monae, Kojaque and Beach House among others along with an interview with Christian Tierney – a photographer and videographer who has worked with Conor Mcgregor, Macklemore, Gavin James and Dermot Kennedy among others. Plus, a famous Dublin music institution closes and a new festival enters the market.

Conversation is between myself and Ellen Fitzpatrick who also edited and produced the podcast. We hope you enjoy it and do leave us reviews on iTunes, on socials.

The most essential tracks of the last week handpicked by the Nialler9 team.

1.

Young Fathers – In My View

Young Fathers seem immune anyone outside their clique, operating as a gang who were more interested in offering genuine healing through music that crosses rap, gospel and lo-fi sonics. ‘In My View’ is another idiosyncratic uplifting gem from these outliers, but if there’s anything obvious from their new material, it’s an increasing softness and directness that wasn’t present on their first two records. Their new album Cocoa Sugar is out in March.

2.

The Go! Team – If There’s One Thing You Should Know

The Go! Team are back with a new album Semicircle, which is a return to their exuberant indie jams. And it works. The bandleader Ian Parton travelled across the US and recorded young choirs and brass bands and they add to the genuine schoolyard buzz of the record. ‘ If There’s One Thing You Should Know’ is a giddy highlight from it.

3.

Wyvern Lingo – Maybe It’s My Nature

If you needed further proof that Wyvern Lingo are a band of naunce. They have followed up my Irish song of the year about celebrating the feminine characteristics of a man and vice versa with a song about the reality of monogamous relationships and whether it’s a part of our nature to lust or at least, look to others romantically when you’re in a long-term relationship. A monogamous relationship is often seen as a binary thing and singer Karen Cowley is exploring the buffers of those strict lines – a very nuanced subject for a smooth soul/R&B/indie pop song.

6.

Jay Rock – King’s Dead (with Kendrick Lamar, Future and James Blake)

Kendrick has curated the Marvel Black Panther soundtrack gives us another reason to look forward to its release with this track:

7.

Henry Green – Another Life

An atmospheric pop track from a new Bristol producer who previously featured here with ‘Stay Here’. It’s from his debut album due in March and of the song he says:

“I had a really vivid image/moment in mind when I wrote “Another Light”. I was sat on a silent beach in the early hours of the morning, slightly hazy from the lack of sleep and I wanted to write about the whirlwind of colours and textures, both in the landscape but also in my mind at that moment. So much change had happened in such a short amount of time and I was just reflecting on it all.”

8.

Lone – Temples

Lone releases Ambivert Tools Volume Three, the latest in series of EPs that have been worthy listens.

Rejjie Snow this morning released The Moon & You, a debut mixtape and free download. It trails his full-length album to come later this year.

The Dublin rapper’s mixtape features ‘Purple Tuesday’ which dropped last week and features Joey Bada$$ & Jesse Boykins III. Much of the mixtape is produced by Benjamin Miller with Cam O’bi, Crooklyn and Shungu also helping.

today drops for 300 Entertainment, out now to stream and download free. The first of two full length statements due this year from the Dublin-born artist, The Moon & You features recent single Purple Tuesday, featuring Joey Bada$$ and Jesse Boykins III, alongside 12 new tracks with production from Cam O’bi, Benjamin Miller and more. Snow today also releases an accompanying ‘zine, edited by the artist himself.

With only over two weeks to go to this year’s TV shoot and mini-festival event in Kerry, Other Voices is gearing up for a big weekend of music in Dingle. So far they’ve announced the first round of music trail of acts and the main church artists which include Lisa Hannigan, Rejjie Snow, Girl Band, Margaret Glaspy, Pixie Geldof and more, with some bigger names to be announced.

Those latter gigs take place from December 2nd to 4th in St. James’ Church. Tickets for which are allocated at random – Nialler9 is one of those places. Accommodation is already booked up in the entire town this year, so you should enter this if you have a place to crash already for the weekend, as these passes get you into the church for the TV recording on each night. Otherwise, you’ve got a fair bit of travel on your hands each night.

Rejjie Snow’s recent live shows at festivals this summer had a great word of mouth around them so this may be worth the buzz. The Dublin rapper is in Dublin as part of a UK and Ireland tour to play The Academy, Dublin on Saturday April 29th.

Tickets priced €16.50 +fees go on sale at 5pm today, November 3rd from Ticketmaster outlets and Ticketmaster.ie Please note this is a 16+ age show.

Longitude Festival is this weekend in Marlay Park and as is customary here are the acts to highlight on your lists and timetables. 12 acts playing, 4 per day – you simply must see, according to Nialler9.

1.

Kelela

Friday, Heineken Stage, 17.30

Kelela is the owner of one of my favourite voices in music. The Los Angeles singer released a great mixtape Cut 4 Me and last year’s Hallucinogen EP cemented her status with one of the best songs of the year – ‘Rewind’ (there’s a fascinating Song Exploder about it). Recent appearances on tracks from Obey City and Clams Casino add to attraction.

2.

Hare Squead

Friday, Heineken Stage, 14.45

From Tallaght promise to major label deal in less than two years, and they’re just getting started. As the band’s first proper single ‘If I Ask You’ shows, Tony Konstone, Jessy Rose and E-Knock are three lads as comfortable with R&B, pop and electronica as rapping. Live, they always bring a full live-band and a party atmosphere that veers from ramshackle to varying degrees of professionalism with energy and big smiles.

3.

Kendrick Lamar

Friday, Main Stage, 21.15

Since the release of last year’s To Pimp A Butterfly, King Kendrick has been on a mission to show he means business live, enlisting the likes of Anna Wise and Thundercat for his band and delivering next level performances on late-night TV and the Grammys among others.

The last time he was in Ireland, at Vicar Street, he gave us a rap show of a high calibre, this time at Longitude, I feel he’s going to show just how far he has left his former self in the dust.

4.

Adultrock

Friday, Red Bull Stage, 17.30

If you like your dance music robotic but with a touch of the real, get your ears around these dancefloor cuts from Adultrock. The Push And Pull EP is the latest release: electronic music with arpeggios, tough basslines and percussive sparkle, anchored by Gavin Elsted’s vocals. Live, it’s an all-analogue affair duo performing face to face. Gerrin.

Rejjie Snow’s ‘All Around The World’ might be the Dublin boy’s best track yet, an indication that he has found his sound after some time flitting between accents and names. Some industry backing has enabled Alex to rope in cameos from Johnny Depp’s daughter Lily-Rose Depp. Amir LeGrone also features. The track, produced by Cam O’bi is a grower.

‘Black Pancakes’ is a new track from Rejjie Snow’s forthcoming mixtape coming in 2014, Dear Annie. The track is produced By Phedeee and the deliberately lo-fi video was shot by Albert Hooi & edited by Zachary Fudge. It’s a nice track, Alex Butler still sounds like he’s finding his sound though.